Cricket

Catches Win Matches: Motie's Spectacular Catch Stuns Buttler in T20I OpenerIn the thrilling first T20I between West Indies and England at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, a breathtaking catch by Gudakesh Motie turned the tide of the match. England captain Jos Buttler, returning from a four-month injury layoff, was the unfortunate victim of Motie's brilliance.After winning the toss and electing to bat first, West Indies posted a competitive 182/9, thanks to Saqib Mahmood's 4/34 and Adil Rashid's 3/32. England's chase got off to a solid start, with Buttler looking in good touch.However, in the seventh over, Motie produced a moment of magic. Facing a short, slower delivery from Romario Shepherd, Buttler cut the ball towards third-man. Motie, positioned slightly wide, reacted with lightning speed, sprinting to his left and extending his left hand.In a gravity-defying moment, Motie snatched the ball out of thin air, inches from the boundary ropes. The official broadcaster captured the stunning catch on video, showcasing Motie's athleticism and quick reflexes.Buttler's dismissal proved to be a turning point in the match. Despite Philip Salt's unbeaten 103 and Jacob Bethell's unbeaten 58, England were unable to maintain the momentum. The Windies bowlers kept the pressure on, and England eventually fell short by 8 wickets.Motie's catch not only showcased his exceptional fielding skills but also highlighted the importance of fielding in modern cricket. With fitness levels at an all-time high, fielders are now capable of making spectacular saves and catches that can change the course of a match.

Former India batter Aakash Chopra has vehemently dismissed rumors suggesting that head coach Gautam Gambhir could be ousted if the team fails to perform in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. These rumors emerged after India's humiliating whitewash at home by New Zealand, marking their first Test series loss on home soil in nearly 12 years.A report in Dainik Jagran had claimed that Gambhir could be removed from his role in Test cricket if India fails to impress in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which begins on November 22. The report also speculated that former India batter and current National Cricket Academy (NCA) chief VVS Laxman could be asked to take over.However, Chopra has strongly refuted this narrative, labeling it as "malicious intent." He emphasized that it is premature to consider such drastic measures after Gambhir's recent appointment as head coach."I feel it is an absolute rumor. This news seems absolutely baseless that if Team India doesn't perform well in Border-Gavaskar Trophy, then change the coach. Have different coaches for different formats. I'd say it's a little too soon. I see this rumor being floated around with malicious intent. Gambhir has just been made the head coach. It does not happen like this that if players are not performing, fire the coach. This is not the way. I do not agree with this thinking at all. I am discarding this kind of report," Chopra stated in a video on his YouTube channel.Nevertheless, Chopra acknowledged that Gambhir should be held accountable for the team's recent performance, given that the BCCI had granted all his requests, including the appointment of his own coaching staff."Whatever Gautam asked for, the BCCI gave him. Publicly, Gautam had said in the past that Team India should have Indian coaches but when he asked for Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel, the board agreed. When Gautam asked for senior players in Sri Lanka, the board said yes to it. Liberty was given in making pitches as well. When so much happens, then accountability is obvious," he added.India's tour of Australia will commence with the first Test in Perth on November 22. The team will be eager to redeem themselves after their disappointing home series against New Zealand.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) between India and Australia has emerged as a formidable rivalry in the cricketing world, rivaling the legendary Ashes series between Australia and England. While the Ashes boasts a rich history dating back to 1882, the BGT, established in 1996, has quickly gained prominence as one of the most fiercely contested and closely followed encounters in the sport.Historical Perspective: BGT vs Ashes (Since 1996)Since the inception of the BGT, India has emerged as a dominant force, winning 10 of the 16 series played. Australia has secured five victories, while one series ended in a draw. Notably, India has achieved two historic away series wins in Australia (2018-19, 2020-21) and is aiming for a third consecutive triumph on foreign soil.In contrast, the Ashes has been dominated by Australia, who have won eight of the 15 series played since 1996. England has secured five victories, and two series have ended in draws. Australia's traditional dominance in the Ashes remains evident.Match Statistics: BGT vs AshesThe Ashes has a significant advantage in terms of matches played due to its long history. However, the BGT has witnessed a remarkable 56 Tests since 1996, with India winning 24 matches and Australia claiming 20 victories. India's recent dominance reflects their evolution as a formidable force in Test cricket.Recent Trends: The Last Five SeriesIn the last decade, India has established a clear dominance in the BGT, winning four consecutive series (2016-17, 2018-19, 2020-21, 2022-23). Australia's last series win came in 2014-15 on home soil.The Ashes have been more evenly contested in recent years. Australia has won two of the last five series (2017-18, 2021-22), while two ended in draws (2019, 2023). Australia has retained the urn due to their dominance in home conditions.Dominance in Away SeriesAway victories are a testament to a team's strength and resilience. India's two away series wins in Australia (2018-19, 2020-21) are significant achievements. Australia, on the other hand, has won only one away series in India, in 2004-05.In the Ashes, Australia has not won a series in England since 2001. England has also struggled in Australia, with their last win there coming in 2010-11. Australia's hold over the Ashes urn has been strengthened by their dominance in home conditions.BGT's Rising StatureWhile the Ashes remains iconic due to its deep-rooted history, the BGT has risen to prominence as one of the most fiercely contested rivalries in world cricket. India's dominance in the BGT, especially with back-to-back series wins in Australia, has led some to argue that the BGT now rivals or even surpasses the Ashes in terms of competitiveness and importance.For Australia, the upcoming BGT series presents a chance to reclaim the trophy at home, while for India, the series is a crucial step towards securing a spot in the World Test Championship final.

Legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has expressed concerns over the Indian batting lineup's vulnerability against quality spin bowling, citing their recent 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand. Ponting believes that the skill level of Indian batters in facing spin has declined compared to previous generations.India's dismal performance against New Zealand's spinners, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, and Glenn Phillips, highlighted their weakness in this area. Ponting attributes this to several factors, including the changing nature of Indian pitches, the rise of fast bowlers in India, and the influence of the Indian Premier League (IPL)."It seems as though the skill of the modern Indian batsmen of playing spin is probably not what it used to be," Ponting said on The ICC Review show. "Maybe because they're playing on different wickets in India that are probably for the fast bowlers a bit more, maybe because there are more high-quality fast bowlers in India now that they're not playing as much spin bowling as they did."Ponting also praised New Zealand for their remarkable achievement, despite the absence of their star batter Kane Williamson. "That's a huge result. One that I wasn't expecting, to be honest, more so, when you look at it with Kane Williamson not being there," he said.While India's talismanic batter Virat Kohli has been struggling for form in Test cricket, Ponting remains confident in his ability to bounce back in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. "There's no doubt, he's a great of the game. He loves playing against Australia. And as I said, his record (in Australia) is very good. If there's a time for him to turn it around, it'd be this series," Ponting said.India needs to win at least four games in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to qualify for the 2025 World Test Championship final. Ponting believes that the series will be a crucial test for India's batting lineup and their ability to handle quality spin bowling.

India's Historic Humiliation: New Zealand's Unprecedented 3-0 WhitewashIndia's cricket team has suffered an unprecedented humiliation at home, as New Zealand became the first team to whitewash them 3-0 in a Test series on Indian soil. The Kiwis' historic victory in the Mumbai Test within three days exposed India's glaring weaknesses in all three departments, particularly in batting.The New Zealand spinners, led by Ajaz Patel and Michael Bracewell, wreaked havoc on Indian pitches, exploiting the hosts' vulnerability to spin. India's batting lineup, led by captain Rohit Sharma, failed to rise to the occasion, consistently falling short of expectations.Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been a mainstay of the team for over a decade, expressed his devastation over the series loss. "It's a very shattering experience," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. "I didn't know how to react or respond to it for the last 2-3 days."Ashwin also took responsibility for his own lack of contributions with the bat, acknowledging that he could have done more to support the team. "I am a guy who says I am the reason for everything that went wrong," he said. "I am also a big reason and a big part of it (series loss)."The unexpected series loss has put India's chances of reaching the World Test Championship Final in jeopardy. They now need to win four out of five Tests in Australia to qualify for the summit clash without relying on the results of other teams.The Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia begins on November 22 in Perth, and India will be desperate to bounce back from this humiliating defeat. However, they will face a formidable challenge against a strong Australian team on their home turf.

Former South African captain AB de Villiers has expressed his admiration for Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, who has been excelling in his new role as opener in the national T20I set-up. De Villiers revealed that he and Samson have been in touch for a while, and suggested that something has changed in the latter's game.Samson has smashed two centuries in as many games in the format, including a 50-ball 107 with the help of 10 sixes and 7 fours in the series opener against South Africa on Friday. De Villiers believes that Samson has discovered "another gear" in his game."He scored a 100 once at the Chinnaswamy Stadium against RCB, I was on the park and I realized that day, that this guy is something special and he is proving me right," de Villiers said in a video on his YouTube channel. "For those of you who have followed Sanju Samson, I haven't often seen him bat at a strike rate of more than 200, he is generally more conservative, he is usually between 140-160 and both these hundreds he has scored back-to-back have been very very fast and especially this last hundred."De Villiers doesn't feel that the current Indian team management has had any influence in Samson's redemption. Instead, he believes that Samson has reached a point in his career where he can only improve and take his batting to another level."Something has triggered there, something has clicked in his game which is absolutely great to watch," de Villiers said. "The thing about him is that he makes it effortless out there. I don't see much experimentation going out there. Not a lot of creativity in terms of funny shots, doesn't seem that he wants to entertain the crowd and please someone, he just sticks in his little bubble and he just is easy on the eye.""Sanju has upped the gear in his game. I hope the selectors are watching this for all the formats. I want to see this guy play all the formats. I think he is someone who is really really special, someone who can play all the formats, in all conditions around the world. Something has clicked in the Sanju Samson world, whether it's the coaching staff, I doubt it. No disrespect to VVS Laxman, Gautam Gambhir, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel, whoever is a part of the coaching group. I just feel that this guy has reached the maturity point, he has realized something. It is exciting to all of us Samson fans. I think there is another gear, a sixth gear, I want to see it unfold."

Sanju Samson's blistering century in the first T20I against South Africa has propelled him into the record books as the seventh-fastest Indian batter to reach 7,000 T20 runs. The wicketkeeper-batter's 107 off 50 balls in Durban not only gave India a 1-0 lead in the series but also marked a significant milestone in his career.Samson's achievement is even more impressive considering he reached the landmark in just 269 innings, equaling Robin Uthappa's record. He surpassed former India captain MS Dhoni, who took 305 innings to reach the same milestone. KL Rahul remains the fastest Indian to reach 7,000 T20 runs, having done so in just 191 innings.Samson's century was a display of his exceptional batting prowess. He smashed seven fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 214.00, leaving the Proteas bowlers helpless. Speaking after the match, Samson attributed his success to adjustments made before the tour."There's been some adjustment," Samson said. "With experience in India A tours and traveling with the Indian team, I understand South African conditions. I practice on different pitches with various balls to replicate conditions and scenarios. It gives me an advantage."Samson's preparation paid off as he looked comfortable from the outset. He played with confidence and aggression, taking the South African bowlers to task. His innings was a testament to his hard work and dedication.India will now look to build on their series lead in the second T20I in Gqeberha on Sunday. Samson will be a key player for the visitors as they aim to secure another victory and take a commanding position in the series.

Virat Kohli Departs for Australia Amidst Crucial Border-Gavaskar TrophyIndian cricket star Virat Kohli was spotted at the Mumbai airport on Saturday night, departing for Australia ahead of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Indian team embarks on a challenging tour Down Under, where they will face the formidable Australian side in a five-match Test series commencing on November 22 in Perth.Kohli, along with his family, was seen at the airport before his departure. Despite the presence of his family, Kohli graciously obliged to fans' requests for photographs, cheekily remarking, "I can't take pictures with you guys while holding my family back."The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has become even more crucial for the Indian team following their unprecedented home whitewash against New Zealand. To qualify for the World Test Championship final without relying on other teams' results, India must win four out of the five Tests in the upcoming series.Kohli's recent home season was below par, with scores of 6, 17, 47, 29*, 0, 70, 1, 17, 4, and 1 in the five Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand. However, the Indian team will be hoping for a strong performance from their star batter in Australia.The Indian team will depart for Australia in two batches on November 10 and 11. The first batch, including Kohli, will arrive in Perth on November 12, while the second batch will join them on November 14.The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a prestigious Test series between India and Australia, named after former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar and former Australian captain Allan Border. India has won the trophy three times, while Australia has won it nine times. The last series, held in Australia in 2018-19, was won by India 2-1.

India's recent 0-3 home series loss to New Zealand has served as a "wake-up call" for the team, according to former cricketer Ajay Jadeja. However, he remains confident in India's ability to bounce back and secure a series win in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.Speaking at the Sportstar Sports Conclave in Rajasthan, Jadeja emphasized the importance of such setbacks in the team's development. "You need a wake-up call sometimes," he said. "We won the (T20) World Cup this year, we're the best team, with the best captain, but suddenly Rohit Sharma is criticized for not moving well. I feel for him."Despite the recent loss, Jadeja believes India has the experience and talent to overcome Australia in their own backyard. "We may not reach the World Test Championship final, but I believe we can secure the series win," he said. "Our team has more experience from multiple tours Down Under, unlike earlier eras when players only visited every eight years."Jadeja also praised the impact of Rishabh Pant, who played a pivotal role in India's 2020/21 series win in Australia. "He's freakish and brilliant," Jadeja said. However, he cautioned against stifling Pant's creativity. "As long as he's playing, he'll be one of India's best. The challenge lies in not stifling his creativity. Once you try to control such players, their brilliance diminishes. It's a double-edged sword."Jadeja also highlighted the mental strength required at the international level, citing Jasprit Bumrah as a prime example. "At that stage, it's about training your mind, not just your body," he said. "Bumrah is a prime example; despite being advised to change his action as a teenager, he trusted his instincts and persevered. That belief, paired with mental toughness, is remarkable."